In June 1877 a county bridge over Crooked Creek near the property of John and Amos Thomas was approved for construction with the County to be responsible for two-thirds of the cost and John Thomas responsible for the remaining one-third of the bridge cost.
The bridge was not erected until 1879 when a notice was published for a “covered lattice bridge on the “Kittanning and Indiana Road”. Amos Thomas was the contractor and Morton Fleming the superintendant of the bridge which was constructed at a cost of $545. Abutment stones and lumber were secured from the nearby area and the bridge was completed in November of 1879.
The bridge was once known as Thomas Ford Bridge; prior to the construction of the bridge there was a fording (stream crossing) in this location. When the railroad was constructed in this area in the early 1900’s the bridge was known as Thomas Station Bridge. The original Thomas Bridge was reported to be the only Town lattice truss bridge in the United States constructed with a single supporting chord, rather than the normal two chords.
The Thomas Bridge was completely reconstructed in 1998 at a cost of slightly more than $1,000,000. The current bridge has a 20-ton weight limit. The Thomas Bridge crosses over Crooked Creek in Armstrong Township, near Yarnick’s Farm Market.
This is an active bridge so to be safe it is not on the bridge. But does have a great information sign close by. BYOP Parking is avasilable.